The word “printer” as used herein encompasses any apparatus, such as a digital copier, book marking machine, facsimile machine, multi-function machine, etc., that produces an image with a colorant on recording media for any purpose. Printers that form an image on a surface of an image receiving member and then transfer the image to recording media are referenced in this document as indirect printers. Indirect printers typically use intermediate transfer, transfix, or transfuse members to facilitate the transfer and fusing of the image from the image receiving member to the recording media. In general, such printing systems typically include a colorant applicator, such as a printhead, that forms an image with colorant on the image receiving member. Recording medium is fed into a nip formed between the surface of the image receiving member and a transfix roller to enable the image to be transferred and fixed to the print medium so the image receiving member can be used for formation of another image.
In ink imaging systems having intermediate image receiving members, ink is loaded into the system and delivered through a conduit system as liquid ink to a printhead for jetting onto a surface of an image receiving member. The ink can be in the form of aqueous ink, pigment and dye resin based aqueous ink, MICR ink, UV ink, and solid ink. When the ink is solid phase change ink, the solid phase change ink is transported through a feed chute by a feed mechanism for delivery to a melting device. The melting device heats the solid ink so it melts and then is delivered through the conduit system. Regardless of the ink type, once in the conduit system, the liquid ink is maintained at a temperature that enables ejection of the ink by the inkjet ejectors in the printhead, while preserving sufficient tackiness to enable the ink to adhere to the surface of the image receiving member. Accordingly, to transport the liquid ink, the conduit system must be essentially comprised of a material which does not facilitate adhesion or congealing of the liquid ink. Additionally, because the liquid ink is heated to a high temperature, chemical reactions between the ink and the conduit system are able to occur more readily. Conduit systems for liquid ink delivery that address these issues are desirable.